Our annual archery season came in this year on September 12, 2026 and due to yard projects and other things, did not put up the Barnett Grounder 350 blind until opening archery season. The past few years, Xander and myself have waited until muzzleloading season came in before hunting;  Xander with the crossbow and myself with the muzzleloader.

I have used the Barnett Grounder 350 blind since 2019, however this year one of the fiberglass supports splintered while getting it set up.  I used a redneck repair tool; e.g., Duck tape to get it back together.  Some of the outside camouflage mess netting has dry rotted and hopefully will get by this season before replacing the blind.  I believe that model ground blind is still available and will order one after this hunting season.  I want to use the same ground blind since it is spacious enough for Xander and myself and have installed D ring hooks on the platform to tie the blind down, although it would not be any trouble to relocate the D rings if necessary using another ground blind.

It looks like an inebriated person installed the foundation support blocks, however they were fairly level and vertical when originally installed; that's my story and sticking to it.

ACORNS BEGINNING TO FALL

Due to the drought we had this year, the acorns are falling a little ahead of their normal schedule.  I noticed the White and Red Oak acorns on the ground along with the smaller water or pin oak acorns doing the same thing.

Red Oak Acorns.

White Oak Acorns.

Around here, the deer will feast on the smaller Water/Pin Oak acorns first and second the White Oak Acorns.  The Red Oak Acorns have more tannic acid, meaning more bitter and the last ones the deer will eat.  Believe me, I have tasted all three (3) and my finding is accurate!

PULLED THE GAME CAMERA CARD

I hadn't changed the game camera card in a few months and there were over 1800 pixs with mostly grey squirrels, but there were plenty of does and I believe there were five (5) or more different bucks.  There was a good 8 and 10 pointer on there and hopefully he will come around when Xander and myself are hunting and present a good humane kill shot.

There was one Bobcat on there along with a coyote.  I saved a pix of the Bobcat, but forgot to save the pix of the coyote.

I have taken at least two (2) Bobcats with the bow and a few with the .270 Winchester round.  I had one Bobcat mounted and later sold the mount along with other mounts.  I kept one baby raccoon mount which was a road kill.

OLE TOM DOOLEY HANGING TREE GOOD FOR ONE MORE SEASON

Many, many deer have hung from this White Oak tree, which was dying and had to have it cut back to protect our home since it was at least seventy (70) feet tall and fifty (50) feet from our home.  Xander and myself tested it out and it should last another hunting season.

My deer horn stew pot has a serious lean to the left and has yielded many, many hundreds of pounds of venison as evidenced by the antlers, unknown how many does were harvested over the decades!

Web page created on 09-13-2026 by Bill aka Mickey Porter.